The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-07-31
C1GARMAKERS AND THEIR WAGES.
Exclusive Cubnns and SrnnIards and Nirnble
Germans and Boheminns.

Exclusive Cubnns and SpnnIarhs and Ninble
Germans and Boheminns.
There are two classes Of clgarmakers in
New York, those who do what is called Spanish
work and those who work with domestic to-
baccos. The men who are on Spanish work are
Cubans and Spaniards some 200 in all. They
object to having anybody else in their shops.
and II cigarnaker OF another nationality
should got Job there they would make it SO
unpleasant for him that he would leave. In
this thoy are sustained by their employers. who
are Cubans or Spaniards themselves. and be-
lievo that Cubans and Spaniards are the only
people who know how to make the best cigars.
They are born with a cigarette in their mouths,
and they die with cigar between their teeth.
The only tobacco used in some Of tho Spanish
workshops is imported, while others use both
Havana and Key West tobacco. and make a
grade OF Key West cigars in which there is a
fair amount Of domestic tobacco, moro than
they acknowledge. All their cigars are high
is much a thousand as is paid to other cigar
makers. 1t Is common thing fer them to give
thousand Of that grade In u week makes good
wages, They have grades Of cigars for which
Of such cigars are worth several hundred
dollars. and they are not often manufactured.
makers regard rhsnselVcs US tho aristocrats Of
the trade. though there Is no such difference
in wages as the scale, OF prices per Thousand
make two thousand $3.50 cigars while Cuban
is making one thousand sl7 or $40 cigars.
shops among the rapid cigarmakers. In every
shop there are two or three who regard them
selves as the h best men. They have contests
men of other shops. Perlcho Bettancourt has
been regarded as the best man for some timo,
On good work he could make $40 q week and
more Il no kept at it Stsadily and i Is even said
cigars in ,' week. These are wages that t no
maker OF cheap cigars could ever make US he
would have to turn out a thousand cigars u
Tho bulk of tho ciGarmakers, arc Germans
s ana Bohemabs WhG turn cut cigars from s. a
OF ordinary trade though there are tcnemcnt-
house cigars made as low as 81, and an ocea-
slonal orter runs up to $50 or more. Nounion
man makes cigars under 81 q thousand. and
that Is the limit OF price In union shop. but
there are tow non union shops that 60 lowor
baeco, though many have Sumatra Wrappers
or Havana lillers. manufacturer tries 10 in
tr1dace some Imported TOBACCO, no matter
his cigars imported, though millions of cigars
are marked imported where not BIT OF tho
New York II Ia better to smoke u cigar made
throughout OF good domestic tobacco than OF
smokers who Sppreciate the truth Of this. '''"n'
There Is more difference between cigar-
makers than between smokers. A ~ cigar
makcrcould no more make a sac cigar than n
man who Ind never touched piece OF tobacco
before, could make n, So cigar. In the first
place no would not know how TO hold tho
tobacco. A skilled cigarmaker takes up Ills
unskilied ciGarmaker, and it takes years to
learn how to do it. No become u good cigar
maker man must begin as n boy whom his
learn even then. Foreigners tuko more
naturally TO 1t than American boys. An Amer
will not, take tho patient care II requires 10
make the point taper, tho belly, gradually
cigar shows. He thinks that 80 long as the
tobacco oil gets there. sticks together, and can
be smoked. that his work Is done. THAT may
making work IL dono by foreigners, whose an-
cestors made cigars and smoked them Tor
generations before